As someone who rarely has her mobile phone unstuck from her ear, this report is perhaps comforting....though of course there will be another research project published any day now resulting in exactly the opposite findings!
Twas ever thus.......at some point some body of medical researchers will profess that just about everything results in some horrendous ailment....best we just go about our business and take most of it with a large pinch of salt.
I'm off now for some breakfast eggs.....remind me, are they harbourers of salmonella today or was that yesterday?
Friday, 20 January 2006
Thursday, 19 January 2006
I can't deny it any longer......
....I am getting old and I am feeling none too chuffed at the realisation!
Old is relative I suppose, in comparison to Tutankhamen let's say, I am but a mere stripling but my wee body is feeling particularly decrepit of late and for me that begins to signify old.
I may still be supple but that is merely down to a natural 'strangeness' in my joints and a childhood and adolescence spent as a gymnast, nothing has yet begun it's gradual 'journey south' but the reason there is only because there is not enough of any part of me to be tempted by gravity and I may still be able to sustain rapid enough leg movement to catch and apprehend a shoplifter occasionally but believe me, today is a very significant day in the 'gemmak is getting old' situation!
And what had cause today to be of heinous significance?.....today, for the first time I have to attend hospital for physiotherapy on what has, courtesy of the very same gymnastic early years, become a knackered left side. Yup, no longer can I ignore it, I am getting old.....the arthritis in my left shoulder, hip, knee and hand (Gah I'm freaking left handed) has become enough of an aggravation to require treatment, this is not good, I am not pleased, I am very dischuffed!
Lord knows what this will involve, doubtless my sore bits will be prodded and poked, I will be pulled into unnatural positions and made to exercise, I don't relish this trip, I suspect that into the bargain I will be chastised for sitting cross legged at this machine for hours on end (well I'm too short for my legs to hit the floor and see the monitor through the correct part of my specs, more proof of old, and cross legged is strangely comfortable anyways) and finally I fear I will be reminded that it is 'my age'.
I am only too well aware that it is my bloody age, that is precisely the problem! Age as a number doesn't concern me, age as a state of bodily bits becoming defunct does! I am told I am relatively young for my hip to be in it's current condition, so much for the childhood of healthy exercise, the constant and extreme pummelling of gymnastics may have been good for the heart and lungs etc. but it sure as hell ain't good for the joints!
Young I may be for this physiological state but it still makes me feel old!
Ah well, best I get used to it.......
fffbbbppppptt!
Old is relative I suppose, in comparison to Tutankhamen let's say, I am but a mere stripling but my wee body is feeling particularly decrepit of late and for me that begins to signify old.
I may still be supple but that is merely down to a natural 'strangeness' in my joints and a childhood and adolescence spent as a gymnast, nothing has yet begun it's gradual 'journey south' but the reason there is only because there is not enough of any part of me to be tempted by gravity and I may still be able to sustain rapid enough leg movement to catch and apprehend a shoplifter occasionally but believe me, today is a very significant day in the 'gemmak is getting old' situation!
And what had cause today to be of heinous significance?.....today, for the first time I have to attend hospital for physiotherapy on what has, courtesy of the very same gymnastic early years, become a knackered left side. Yup, no longer can I ignore it, I am getting old.....the arthritis in my left shoulder, hip, knee and hand (Gah I'm freaking left handed) has become enough of an aggravation to require treatment, this is not good, I am not pleased, I am very dischuffed!
Lord knows what this will involve, doubtless my sore bits will be prodded and poked, I will be pulled into unnatural positions and made to exercise, I don't relish this trip, I suspect that into the bargain I will be chastised for sitting cross legged at this machine for hours on end (well I'm too short for my legs to hit the floor and see the monitor through the correct part of my specs, more proof of old, and cross legged is strangely comfortable anyways) and finally I fear I will be reminded that it is 'my age'.
I am only too well aware that it is my bloody age, that is precisely the problem! Age as a number doesn't concern me, age as a state of bodily bits becoming defunct does! I am told I am relatively young for my hip to be in it's current condition, so much for the childhood of healthy exercise, the constant and extreme pummelling of gymnastics may have been good for the heart and lungs etc. but it sure as hell ain't good for the joints!
Young I may be for this physiological state but it still makes me feel old!
Ah well, best I get used to it.......
fffbbbppppptt!
Wednesday, 18 January 2006
Four things meme
It's been quite some time since anyone tagged me with a meme.........
We have Shephards Alley to thank for this one. ;o)
Four Things You Love About Spring
1. Azaleas
2. Tilly will be old enough to go outside and run off some energy!
3. Lighter evenings
4. The fact that it's nearly my birthday.
Four Things You Love About Summer
1. The sun! Some hope.
2. Watching things grow on my balcony (no garden).
3. I always get to go to my parents.
4. Big Brother (sorry)
Four Things You Love About Autumn
1. The 'cozy' feeling of darker evenings.
2. TV improved marginally
3. The anticipation that soon there might be snow!
4. Kids go back to school.
Four Things You Love about Winter
1. SNOW!
2. I don't need an excuse to be a hermit.
3. The anticipation of Christmas.
4. Having a bath rather than a shower...don't ask, as winter arrives I just seem to gravitate to the bath.
Four U.S. Cities that YouÂ’d Visit in a Heartbeat
New York, Omaha, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills, I know that's not a city but hey...my geography is poor!
Four Funniest Movies (in no partic. order)
I don't 'do' funny movies.
Four Tear-Jerkers (in no partic. order)
The Color Purple, Ghost....damn I'm stuck...ok, I don't really 'do' movies at all!
Four Most Romantic Songs
1. Wind beneath my wings ~ Bette Midler
2. The way we were ~ Gladys Knight
3. Run ~ Whitney Houston
4. I knew I loved you (before I met you) ~ Savage Garden
Four Songs That Make You Happy
1. Angel ~ Robbie
2. I was only joking ~ Rod Stewart
3. Hotel California ~ Eagles
4. Freebird ~ Lynnard Skynnard (sp?)
Four Favorite Singers/Groups (in no order)
Katie Melua, George Michael (sorry, again), Lighthouse Family, Robbie.
Four All-Time Favorite TV Shows
1.Coronationn Street
2. Poldark
3. Casualty
4. Bad Girls
Four Things You Love About Where You Live
1. The view
2. The wind
3. It's 'cat safe'
4. The people
Four Things You Don't Like About Where You Live
1. Lack of facilities
2. No anonymity
3. Having to have sat TV to receive a signal at all.
4. The 'odd' guy that lives in the flat below us.
Four Favorite Meals
1. Anything with fried rice.
2. Anything I don't have to cook.
3. Seafood Salad
4. Soup & a great Sandwich.
And, this is the fun bit, the people who I will likely fall foul of by tagging are:
Lisa, Fletch ( I bet ya don't do it!), Kitty, Dale and Paddy.
We have Shephards Alley to thank for this one. ;o)
Four Things You Love About Spring
1. Azaleas
2. Tilly will be old enough to go outside and run off some energy!
3. Lighter evenings
4. The fact that it's nearly my birthday.
Four Things You Love About Summer
1. The sun! Some hope.
2. Watching things grow on my balcony (no garden).
3. I always get to go to my parents.
4. Big Brother (sorry)
Four Things You Love About Autumn
1. The 'cozy' feeling of darker evenings.
2. TV improved marginally
3. The anticipation that soon there might be snow!
4. Kids go back to school.
Four Things You Love about Winter
1. SNOW!
2. I don't need an excuse to be a hermit.
3. The anticipation of Christmas.
4. Having a bath rather than a shower...don't ask, as winter arrives I just seem to gravitate to the bath.
Four U.S. Cities that YouÂ’d Visit in a Heartbeat
New York, Omaha, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills, I know that's not a city but hey...my geography is poor!
Four Funniest Movies (in no partic. order)
I don't 'do' funny movies.
Four Tear-Jerkers (in no partic. order)
The Color Purple, Ghost....damn I'm stuck...ok, I don't really 'do' movies at all!
Four Most Romantic Songs
1. Wind beneath my wings ~ Bette Midler
2. The way we were ~ Gladys Knight
3. Run ~ Whitney Houston
4. I knew I loved you (before I met you) ~ Savage Garden
Four Songs That Make You Happy
1. Angel ~ Robbie
2. I was only joking ~ Rod Stewart
3. Hotel California ~ Eagles
4. Freebird ~ Lynnard Skynnard (sp?)
Four Favorite Singers/Groups (in no order)
Katie Melua, George Michael (sorry, again), Lighthouse Family, Robbie.
Four All-Time Favorite TV Shows
1.Coronationn Street
2. Poldark
3. Casualty
4. Bad Girls
Four Things You Love About Where You Live
1. The view
2. The wind
3. It's 'cat safe'
4. The people
Four Things You Don't Like About Where You Live
1. Lack of facilities
2. No anonymity
3. Having to have sat TV to receive a signal at all.
4. The 'odd' guy that lives in the flat below us.
Four Favorite Meals
1. Anything with fried rice.
2. Anything I don't have to cook.
3. Seafood Salad
4. Soup & a great Sandwich.
And, this is the fun bit, the people who I will likely fall foul of by tagging are:
Lisa, Fletch ( I bet ya don't do it!), Kitty, Dale and Paddy.
Tuesday, 17 January 2006
The first day of the week?
Well, that's as clear as mud still.
Thank you all for your comments on the 'Sunday Monday' question, it seems about an equal split in opinion but of course I will deem myself the winner of this little argument!
I consider the first day of the week a Sunday, calendars and diaries begin on a Sunday, my salary is calculated Sunday to Saturday and well, it just is that Sunday is the first day!
PG of course would give you an alternative set of reasons for it being a Monday but hey, this is my blog! heh.
*EDIT:
What I am considering the definative arguement to support my theory has kindly been dropped here in my comments, courtesy of Pusher Robot. I may not understand every last word of it but it sounds damn convincing. ;o)
Thank you all for your comments on the 'Sunday Monday' question, it seems about an equal split in opinion but of course I will deem myself the winner of this little argument!
I consider the first day of the week a Sunday, calendars and diaries begin on a Sunday, my salary is calculated Sunday to Saturday and well, it just is that Sunday is the first day!
PG of course would give you an alternative set of reasons for it being a Monday but hey, this is my blog! heh.
*EDIT:
What I am considering the definative arguement to support my theory has kindly been dropped here in my comments, courtesy of Pusher Robot. I may not understand every last word of it but it sounds damn convincing. ;o)
Breakfast time!
As is evident Tilly has not yet honed her table manners and has no consideration whatsoever for the waste her 'breakfasting' creates!
Hmmm....is porridge good for cats too?
Anyone for coffee?
There must be an easier way!
Monday, 16 January 2006
Settle an argument?
PG and I have been having a small 'discussion' as to which day is considered to be officially the first day of each week, Sunday or Monday.
I won't tell you at this stage which one of us thinks what!
Opinions please. :o)
I won't tell you at this stage which one of us thinks what!
Opinions please. :o)
Fight or flight........
......or behave like a damn fool?!
The 'flight or fight' response in humans, animals, birds, in fact almost all living creatures, is not a new phenomenon. Since time in memorial, when faced with danger we have had this in-built response to threatening situations, our mind recognises a danger and immediately floods our body with the various chemicals, adrenaline being the obvious one, necessary to give us the speed, strength and presence of mind to 'fight or flight', i.e. fight the danger or escape from it.
Not so it seems in some! Sure, there are those who have trained their minds and bodies to overcome the response, the feeling of panic and of having to 'get the hell out'. Emergency services personnel who's remit requires them to walk toward what the rest of us run from, armed forces personnel etc. etc. they have all had to learn to overcome and control their bodies natural response to threat, and with good reason......but then there are those, that sometimes I am sure, are just devoid of enough common sense to recognise a danger and consequently behave like complete fools!
I have been witness to this once before and again in a smaller way yesterday and it confounds me. Many years ago, in the late 70's, I was working in a West End department store that the IRA saw fit to bomb. Luckily on this occasion it was only a small incendiary device in a window space, but we didn't know that when the call
came through and it none the less resulted in serious injury for those in close proximity. Two aspects of the incident remain strong in my mind, the first was the almost overwhelming feeling of my body telling me to escape, to run, to do anything but remain where I was and the second was my incredulity at the stupidity of some others.
Whilst my job required that I remain in the building to evacuate customers and to help look for the device (yup, all sixteen years of me) there were those, that despite the threat, were so intent on making or completing their purchase that we had to argue with them to get them to leave the building!!
Yesterday I was reminded of this stupidity.
Mid morning at work the fire alarms sounded. I was on a break with a colleague, for a moment we considered if this was merely a drill but instantly recognised that
there are never drills in opening hours, the company is way too concerned about losing an hours trade to do that, and so we set about our evacuation procedure and left the building. Our location in the store meant that by virtue of the 'leave by the nearest exit' rule we were not involved in having to secure the building or evacuate customers and there was no apparently immediate threat to our safety but I was still aware of my flight or fight response beginning to kick in.
Conversely, as we stood, shivering in the cold wind watching the evacuation it was patently obvious that some seemed not too perceive any threat whatsoever.
Never mind the usual fear of panic in a situation presenting danger, no, some of our customers were sauntering about and almost requiring a cattle prod to persuade them to leave with any degree of urgency! Whilst in that part of the building there was no immediate evidence of fire and so panic was not going to be the order of the day, did they have some inside information that there was no fire in a roof or wall space, that in a store full of flammable materials there would be no explosion? Has shopping become of such importance in some people's lives that they will risk their lives for a purchase, have they become so desensitized by today's graphic media images that their normal responses have declined or do some people merely have the I.Q. of a peanut rendering them completely stupid???
Furthermore, as the situation unfolded and the building was resplendent with screaming alarm system and fire tenders sporting blues and two's, it's staff all stood in the car park and obvious activity by the fire brigade.......potential customers were arriving, meandering up to the doorway, apparently oblivious and asking if they could be let in.....and then showing displeasure when told no!
As it was, the alarm had been triggered by a fault but one wonders, had there been 100 foot flames leaping from the roof whether some of these idiots would have noticed anything unusual at all?!
I accept that having been married to a fireman for years I am maybe more aware of the possibilities but hell, it's not rocket science is it.........
The 'flight or fight' response in humans, animals, birds, in fact almost all living creatures, is not a new phenomenon. Since time in memorial, when faced with danger we have had this in-built response to threatening situations, our mind recognises a danger and immediately floods our body with the various chemicals, adrenaline being the obvious one, necessary to give us the speed, strength and presence of mind to 'fight or flight', i.e. fight the danger or escape from it.
Not so it seems in some! Sure, there are those who have trained their minds and bodies to overcome the response, the feeling of panic and of having to 'get the hell out'. Emergency services personnel who's remit requires them to walk toward what the rest of us run from, armed forces personnel etc. etc. they have all had to learn to overcome and control their bodies natural response to threat, and with good reason......but then there are those, that sometimes I am sure, are just devoid of enough common sense to recognise a danger and consequently behave like complete fools!
I have been witness to this once before and again in a smaller way yesterday and it confounds me. Many years ago, in the late 70's, I was working in a West End department store that the IRA saw fit to bomb. Luckily on this occasion it was only a small incendiary device in a window space, but we didn't know that when the call
came through and it none the less resulted in serious injury for those in close proximity. Two aspects of the incident remain strong in my mind, the first was the almost overwhelming feeling of my body telling me to escape, to run, to do anything but remain where I was and the second was my incredulity at the stupidity of some others.
Whilst my job required that I remain in the building to evacuate customers and to help look for the device (yup, all sixteen years of me) there were those, that despite the threat, were so intent on making or completing their purchase that we had to argue with them to get them to leave the building!!
Yesterday I was reminded of this stupidity.
Mid morning at work the fire alarms sounded. I was on a break with a colleague, for a moment we considered if this was merely a drill but instantly recognised that
there are never drills in opening hours, the company is way too concerned about losing an hours trade to do that, and so we set about our evacuation procedure and left the building. Our location in the store meant that by virtue of the 'leave by the nearest exit' rule we were not involved in having to secure the building or evacuate customers and there was no apparently immediate threat to our safety but I was still aware of my flight or fight response beginning to kick in.Conversely, as we stood, shivering in the cold wind watching the evacuation it was patently obvious that some seemed not too perceive any threat whatsoever.
Never mind the usual fear of panic in a situation presenting danger, no, some of our customers were sauntering about and almost requiring a cattle prod to persuade them to leave with any degree of urgency! Whilst in that part of the building there was no immediate evidence of fire and so panic was not going to be the order of the day, did they have some inside information that there was no fire in a roof or wall space, that in a store full of flammable materials there would be no explosion? Has shopping become of such importance in some people's lives that they will risk their lives for a purchase, have they become so desensitized by today's graphic media images that their normal responses have declined or do some people merely have the I.Q. of a peanut rendering them completely stupid???
Furthermore, as the situation unfolded and the building was resplendent with screaming alarm system and fire tenders sporting blues and two's, it's staff all stood in the car park and obvious activity by the fire brigade.......potential customers were arriving, meandering up to the doorway, apparently oblivious and asking if they could be let in.....and then showing displeasure when told no!
As it was, the alarm had been triggered by a fault but one wonders, had there been 100 foot flames leaping from the roof whether some of these idiots would have noticed anything unusual at all?!
I accept that having been married to a fireman for years I am maybe more aware of the possibilities but hell, it's not rocket science is it.........
Sunday, 15 January 2006
The feel good factor
Rather than blatantly thieve the post, may I direct all you good people HERE for a small dose of the feel good factor and a Sunday evening smile.
Well worth the click I promise.
Well worth the click I promise.
Saturday, 14 January 2006
Once in a lifetime?
My knowledge of astronomy is somewhere between 'very little' and 'absolutely nothing' and as a consequence I can't account for the reason I was treated to an amazing display on my home from work this evening.
I left work at about four fifteen and as I walked out of the building I smiled a little to myself that it was the first time for months that daylight was still in evidence, spring is next on the agenda and whilst I love winter, I like the changes too.
I turned my engine on and set off on my journey home. As I hit the A1, at this point a long, straight, uphill drag with the sea just below the horizon, I was struck by a strange light, it was barely dusk but the light was odd, almost a creamy yellow. Something caught my eye on the horizon, I looked straight ahead of me and there, seemingly sat on the roadway and filling the horizon, was the biggest, roundest moon I have ever seen. Absolutely untainted by cloud, haze or darkness, just a massive creamy yellow, perfectly glowing ball.
It's impossible for me to do it justice , it was as low as I have ever seen the moon and so clear it's darker shadows were starkly visible. It appeared enormous, it really, truly seemed to fill most of the horizon and perch just on the tarmac, it was hard to believe that one wouldn't just drive straight into it....and still it was almost daylight.
Of course, as ever on these rare occasions, the only camera I had with me was my phone. I stopped as soon as I was able and took one or two pictures but needless to say they were dire!
For the remainder of my journey this beautiful moon, the like of which I have never before seen was 'following' me in my rear view mirror, apparently suspended, in all it's glory just above the ground, filling my rear view.
By the time I got home it was lost, nightfall had proceeded and my beautiful moon was higher in the sky, still perfect, still clear but not the amazing sight it had been just half an hour earlier.
Not to be defeated I rushed in and grabbed my camera but as is apparent from this image, whilst still it was a nice moon, I missed capturing what was probably a once in a lifetime vision.
Truly, I just can't describe the sight adequately, of the moon so yellow, so big and so low, just 'sitting' happily and brightly on the tarmac filling all of the view!
I left work at about four fifteen and as I walked out of the building I smiled a little to myself that it was the first time for months that daylight was still in evidence, spring is next on the agenda and whilst I love winter, I like the changes too.
I turned my engine on and set off on my journey home. As I hit the A1, at this point a long, straight, uphill drag with the sea just below the horizon, I was struck by a strange light, it was barely dusk but the light was odd, almost a creamy yellow. Something caught my eye on the horizon, I looked straight ahead of me and there, seemingly sat on the roadway and filling the horizon, was the biggest, roundest moon I have ever seen. Absolutely untainted by cloud, haze or darkness, just a massive creamy yellow, perfectly glowing ball.
It's impossible for me to do it justice , it was as low as I have ever seen the moon and so clear it's darker shadows were starkly visible. It appeared enormous, it really, truly seemed to fill most of the horizon and perch just on the tarmac, it was hard to believe that one wouldn't just drive straight into it....and still it was almost daylight.
Of course, as ever on these rare occasions, the only camera I had with me was my phone. I stopped as soon as I was able and took one or two pictures but needless to say they were dire!
For the remainder of my journey this beautiful moon, the like of which I have never before seen was 'following' me in my rear view mirror, apparently suspended, in all it's glory just above the ground, filling my rear view.
By the time I got home it was lost, nightfall had proceeded and my beautiful moon was higher in the sky, still perfect, still clear but not the amazing sight it had been just half an hour earlier.
Not to be defeated I rushed in and grabbed my camera but as is apparent from this image, whilst still it was a nice moon, I missed capturing what was probably a once in a lifetime vision.
Truly, I just can't describe the sight adequately, of the moon so yellow, so big and so low, just 'sitting' happily and brightly on the tarmac filling all of the view!
Friday, 13 January 2006
Blogs, splogs and vlogs
Thanks to BFJ for this link which explains way better than I could, how the bastards are out to get us one way or another.
What is the matter with some people? Those who commit these offences (are they even offences in a legal sense?) to extort money or information I suppose are no better or worse than any other perpetrator of a crime but the real clever guys, the seriously geeky kids that do this just because it is 'there to be done' need to find a better outlet for their apparently very selective, intellectual abilities!
Gah!.
What is the matter with some people? Those who commit these offences (are they even offences in a legal sense?) to extort money or information I suppose are no better or worse than any other perpetrator of a crime but the real clever guys, the seriously geeky kids that do this just because it is 'there to be done' need to find a better outlet for their apparently very selective, intellectual abilities!
Gah!.
Precarious positioning
Why just sit comfortably on a chair when as an alternative one can perch precariously atop the narrow back....... for hours on end?!
Love it or hate it.....
......the argy bargy is over, the pink has gone, hurrah I hear some of you scream, no promises though that it won't return in another guise. I like pink....though I will admit it was very pink!
But...er.....the image was of questionable 'heritage', I remembered finally from where I got it and despite much tampering, the copyright is the under the ownership of someone other than moi! Oopsss.
This being friday the 13th and given my recent history on this unfortunate date, I thought it best not to push my luck! ;o)
But...er.....the image was of questionable 'heritage', I remembered finally from where I got it and despite much tampering, the copyright is the under the ownership of someone other than moi! Oopsss.
This being friday the 13th and given my recent history on this unfortunate date, I thought it best not to push my luck! ;o)
Thursday, 12 January 2006
He came...he came!
I take it all back, well ok, not all of it because despite my landlords late arrival the job is still not done in it's entirety!
Why am I not surprised.
The leak is from the neck of the monobloc, I could have told him that, it is in need of a new 'o' ring, but did he bring one? Did he hell. Once the water has escaped the neck of the tap it is tracking down to the (perished)gasket and leaking in under the sink via that little convoluted route.
Did he have a spare gasket? Nope. Did he even have a bloody basin wrench? Nope. Seems a pretty basic requirement when one is called out to fix a leaky tap but none the less, who am I to assume! So what did he do? He lifted the tap a little and squirted some silicone sealant under the offending gasket! Arghhhhhh.
So in exasperation I have done him a deal, I will buy a gasket and 'o' ring and I will fit them........on the strict understanding that if it all falls apart he will stand the cost of further repair.
Hells bells and little fishes, is nothing simple?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
........and for those of you questioning my current choice of colour, I'm not sure I can stand it either!
Why am I not surprised.
The leak is from the neck of the monobloc, I could have told him that, it is in need of a new 'o' ring, but did he bring one? Did he hell. Once the water has escaped the neck of the tap it is tracking down to the (perished)gasket and leaking in under the sink via that little convoluted route.
Did he have a spare gasket? Nope. Did he even have a bloody basin wrench? Nope. Seems a pretty basic requirement when one is called out to fix a leaky tap but none the less, who am I to assume! So what did he do? He lifted the tap a little and squirted some silicone sealant under the offending gasket! Arghhhhhh.
So in exasperation I have done him a deal, I will buy a gasket and 'o' ring and I will fit them........on the strict understanding that if it all falls apart he will stand the cost of further repair.
Hells bells and little fishes, is nothing simple?
........and for those of you questioning my current choice of colour, I'm not sure I can stand it either!
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